


in death, sacrifice

by lethargicProfessor



Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-15
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-06-08 15:05:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6859927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lethargicProfessor/pseuds/lethargicProfessor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fighting Rendon Howe was surprisingly similar to fighting darkspawn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	in death, sacrifice

Fighting Rendon Howe was surprisingly similar to fighting darkspawn.

Perhaps it was muscle memory that allowed the Warden to focus, to swing and block and parry against the arl as he advanced. The din of clashing armor and metal, and the distant thrum of magic in the air faded away, until all that remained was the Warden, the Cousland sword in their grip, and the man who had taken everything from them.

Unlike the darkspawn, however, Howe knew how to fight back properly.

A heavy swipe from Howe nearly ripped the sword from the Warden’s grasp, jarring them as the sounds of battle returned, echoed tenfold in the small room. Howe sneered, swinging down with a dagger the Warden barely blocked.

“Your parents died on their knees,” he taunted, rank breath hot against the Warden’s face. “Your brother rots in Ostagar, and his brat burned on a scrap heap along with his Antivan whore of a wife!”

A snarl ripped from the Warden’s throat, pained and raw as they kicked out, tossing caution to the wind as they hacked at Howe’s defenses with abandon. The Warden knew it was Howe’s intention to distract them, to provoke them into making mistakes, but the rage nearly took their breath away. “That’s enough!”

“You’re the last of nothing!” Howe sneered, blade whistling past quicker than lightning, a sharp burning sting following contact. Blood dripped down the Warden’s face, blinding them momentarily, but the derision in Howe’s voice burned more than the injuries. “You’ve _lost_.”

Howe’s words rang in the Warden’s head, stunning them for a moment. After so much bloodshed and fighting, it couldn’t possibly be the end. They wouldn’t let it be the end.

The calm that settled into the Warden’s bones was heavy and familiar, as familiar as the weight of the sword in their grasp. They had fought through Howe’s men before, through hordes of darkspawn and enemies thrown their way, all for this moment.

The sword burned in their hands, a reminder of Bryce Cousland’s words.

“For justice,” the Warden breathed, turning to face Howe. The arl scowled, raising his daggers for another attack.

The Warden struck first, sweeping their sword with every ounce of strength they could muster. The impact of metal on metal sent a tremor up their arms, and it took everything to follow through, feeling the sharp blade cut through leather and metal into flesh.

And then it was over, the Warden standing over the fallen Arl as the older man wheezed in a pool of his own blood.

“Maker spit on you…” He growled, breathing labored as his blood dripped from the Warden’s sword. “I deserved…more…”

Impulsively, the Warden struck out, burying the sword into Rendon Howe’s chest, blinded by tears and blood. “My family deserved more than to be slaughtered by the likes of you!”

Their strength left them all at once, and the Warden collapsed on their sword, tremors running through them as hot tears continued to stream down their face. Alistair approached them after some time, the others crowding around the Warden and the arl.

“We need to go,” Alistair murmured, and the Warden felt Leliana gently running her fingers through their hair. Zevran snatched the key from Howe’s cooling corpse, and Morrigan cleared the way for them back out of the dungeons.

The Warden allowed the rest of the party to herd them along, the tremors slowly subsiding amidst the comforting touches of the others.

Howe may have slaughtered the Couslands, and the Warden would never forget that, but they found some reassurance in the family they had found along the way.


End file.
